First cervical examination with midwife.

[chickpea95]

When was everyone's first check for softening and dilation etc? How many weeks was you? What was the outcome? And how long after did you go into labour?

Quite unusual to be offered one before 40w I would have thought, unless there's a particular reason. I don't think most people have them until they're in labour.

I never had any at all.

40 weeks I think, maybe 39 weeks at the earliest.

To answer your last 2 questions....the outcome was that they said I was not dilated or ready at all and I was induced at 42 weeks.

I have had 4 DC and I’ve never had one. I don’t believe they are necessary as they are not an indication of when you will go into labour.

I’ve had two children and I’ve never had one. I can’t imagine you would need anything like that unless after 40 weeks and having a sweep

Only when I was in actual labour 40 weeks 5 days

You can refuse them if you want to. They are not necessary and they can’t tell how close labour is by doing the exam, so the info is useless.

Not until I was in labour.

You may not be in the Uk OP so I apologise.

In the UK cervical examinations are not offered routinely until you are in labour/early labour. Even then it’s only an offer, not a must.

Pre labour a membrane sweep may be offered (usually from 39/40 weeks dependant on your trust) where a cervical examination will take place and if your cervix omits a finger, a sweep of the cervix can happen.

There is not a great amount of evidence for sweeps, as there is no way of measuring if they work or not. You could have a sweep today and go into labour overnight, but you may have gone into labour overnight without the sweep anyway!

When I was induced with dc3 the midwife examined my cervix as she inserted the peasant - it was high and unfavourable.

Dc3 was born 12 hours later!

I didn’t have one until I was induced (higher risk pregnancy, wasn’t meant to go over EDD).
I certainly wouldn’t have agreed to have one routinely-hurt like hell. Fuck no.

Just before induction was started to see how favourable my cervix was.

I don't see the point of them in routine care antenatal care unless a stretch and sweep will be done afterwards.